july 13 2010

July 13, 2010

Today will forever be in my memory vividly.

I am nervous. I had a positive pregnancy test about 5 weeks ago but things just seem off from my pregnancies with Moo and Ella Bella. I feel mostly fine other than battling a nasty cold for the last month. No morning, noon, or night sickness like with the other kids. No bleeding. No well.... anything. Virtually symptomless. Today my ob appt has finally arrived.

My ob teases me about getting "fixed" after this one. I reply the debate is still ongoing whether we want 3 children or 4. We laugh and catch up. The nurse comes in and has me fill out all the obligatory forms. She patiently tries to find a heartbeat with the doppler, scanning back and forth. I lay there staring at the ceiling and ponder the black fingerprints on the fluorescent lights. The nurse can't find a heartbeat. I know not to worry, I am at most 9 weeks and it's so early. I can't help but thinking it was a chemical pregnancy. Been there done that. It is what it is.

My ob comes in and says eh, the ultrasound machine is right here, let's do this. So he starts the ultrasound and a tiny little alien fetus is visible with a teensy heart fluttering away. Ah, relief.

Ob: "Only one, looks great, exactly 9 weeks."

me: "Oh good. I have been having lots of crazy dreams about twins."

A few seconds pass as my OB scans around checking things out. I glance over at the nurse. Her eyes have gotten very big and she lightly gasps. She whispers "Oh my gosh." I turn back to the monitor.

OB: "There is another one. There are two!"

There on the screen are two little babies, mirror images of eachother, filling the screen. IN ME!!!




It was a moment. Overwhelming. Awed. Scary. Amazing. Impossible. WOW.

me: "My husband is definitely going to need a picture of that!"

OB: "Well, I guess your debate is settled!"

More scanning. Still ONLY 2. Phew. Both measuring exactly 9 weeks with strong heartbeats. 2 sacks, probably fraternal (not identical). WOW. It's just astounding. No one in either of our families has twins as far back as anyone can remember. I am shaking, a little from cold, and a little from shock. Having kids has not been easy for us and now, twins? When we least expected it? God, your blessings are abundant!

My OB and I chat about how things will be different than a single pregnancy. I am thankful for a calm doctor with lots of experience. He gives me details, I love details. How delivery might go, what complications might come up, ect. I am sure I will have many more questions.

I continue to shake off and on for the next 3o minutes through all my labs. I am so amazed the lab tech got all 6 vials of blood needed while I shook. She deserves a raise!

ACT 2

I had told a friend I would come by to get some of her homemade laundry detergent after I finished at the doctor. I debated bailing and just going home to tell Hubs but knew I needed to calm down first. So I go into M's house and ol eagle eyes immediately questions the neon armband.

M: "did you just give blood?"

me: "umm yeah."

M: "oh that's so nice of you!"

me: "oh wait, no not like that......"

M: " Are you preggers?"

me: "yes. and completely freaking out."

I dig around in my purse and thrust the strip of ultrasound photos at her.

me: "check out that last photo."

M: "OH HOLY CRAP! TWINS!"

me: " yes, can I please use your restroom and can you please get me a nice cold drink? I would say alcholic but that would be a bad idea."

I am so thankful for M's enthusiasm and encouragement. If anyone can handle 4 under 5, you can. You will rock it. Twins will be awesome. God knows what he is doing. And on and on. She was the perfect first person to tell. I even forgot to pay for my soap (duh!). But it wasn't really about the soap. God knew I would need her wisdom and excitement. I settle down and M and I catch up.

ACT 3

On to tell Hubs. How?

I come in and he is corralling kids and making lunch. Moo starts talking a mile a minute about hiking that morning and Ella bella is climbing all over me. I give him the photos and just wait. He is a little perplexed why I got so many photos of the same thing. And then he sees the last photo. I hold up 2 fingers and nod yes. Two. Plus two, yeah four. Math geniuses here. He is in disbelief honestly thinking the OB performed some photoshop magic to freak him out. And then it hits him, there is no prank going on, THIS is real. We somehow managed to pull of the completely random feat of twins. No fertility drugs. Just, well, there.

Hubs: "Wow. Really? Wow. How? Are you sure? What?"

He went into shock for a few minutes not nearly to the extent I did though. Eh, he lacks all the crazy hormones. It's just amazing, overwhelming, wow.

ACT 4

People's reactions are hysterical. It is just so unexpected.

My Mom just blinked and double checked the double photo and in disbelief asked if they were mine. Indeed they are. Then just shock. My mom told my dad, I actually really don't enjoy telling people I am pregnant, my dad was surprised and thought life would get interesting around our house.

My sister said "Holy crapola! Can I tell Sarah (her sister in law)?" Sure knock yourself out. My sis also implied we should ahem you know take care of things to not have more. Totally going to sister!

My friend R squealed so loud Hubs could here her over the phone across the room. She loves Moo and Ella Bella and was thrilled we would have 2 more.

My friend L cried, happy, surprised tears. She was just so excited and thankful to God for multiple blessings. Multiple "blessings" are still kinda freaking me out. I hope I can convince her to come back to visit the itty bitties.

Intuition

I have kinda had this inkling it could be twins since the test turned positive. No explanation why, just like I needed to psych myself up for the possibility of 2. My google browser is full of various twin inquiries over the past month. I always have thought I would have boy/girl twins at some point. No idea if that part is true, and we don't know if we will find out.